Pop Herring (left) and Michael Jordan in happier times, on the day Jordan joined the North Carolina basketball team. StarNews file photo

Well, earlier Tuesday, Lake finished the job, calling out Jordan in a online “letter” for not helping Herring in the past and present during time of need. Upon learning that Herring was back in a local jail, Lake returned to Wilmington and bailed Herring out.

My thoughts? I think Jordan has taken wrong steps in the past with his choice of words and his defiant attitude toward his time at Laney.

And now I think Lake has taken a misstep of his own.

As journalists, our job to write stories that bring readers as close as possible to a subject, making them feel the blood, sweat, tears, nerves

we all read good things in the first place. Sometimes, a little part of us is left with the subject, and vice versa. It is the blessing and curse of being allowed that deep access into a person’s life. Because while we need to be fully invested in order to produce the greatest story, we also must pull back from that access at some point, as well.

This time, Lake’s investment got the better of him. And that’s too bad.

Did Lake do a good thing by helping Herring out? Without question. Has Pop Herring had an incredibly tough, bizarre life? Yes. It is tragic? You could say yes. But is it Jordan’s fault? No way. And saying he’s a lesser person because you forked over the $100 in bail money and he didn’t is … well, it’s wrong.

Jordan has provided plenty of ammunition to his critics in the past. But this isn’t one of those reasons.

I feel like updating readers on the status of Pop is part of Mr. Lake’s job as a responsible journalist now that he has become personally invested in the story. How else to frame the story but by contrasting his own responsible behavior with that of MJ who is by far the most able to help. This isn’t a completely objective scientific paper he’s writing, it’s a well-crafted sports/culture opinion piece and he should be commended for pushing his views.

I do not know the nature of Jordan’s relationship with Pop, and I will not presume to tell him what he should or should not do for him. The man alienated his family. Who knows what happened with Jordan. Does the author feel spending $100 was enough for Pop? Is that the price for the content of multiple articles in SI and glaring headlines? Will he do anything else for Pop? Will anyone commenting on the article do anything for Pop? What about the hundreds of other kids he coached? Is it all on Jordan because he is rich? What about Pop’s family? Pay no attention to the others, they would not generate headlines.

I have sympathy for Mr. Herring, but I don’t think his plight falls on the shoulders of Michael Jordan, and I think it is petty of this journalist to imply that it is, just because he has become personally invested in the man. Michael has probably been helped by hundreds of coaches over the year. Growing up, he probably received valuable lessons from dozens of teachers. I don’t think he is responsible for all of their well-being, any more than I am responsible for the well-being of all my teachers and coaches from decades ago. It’s nice that Mr. Herring opened the gym for young Michael and had him over for dinner, but nearly every high school coach in the country does that. It does not obligate their players to take care of those coaches thirty years later. It is also a bit misleading to imply that this man was father figure to Michael. Considering the relationship Michael had with his own father, I doubt he saw Mr. Herring as anything more than a coach. Michael might have a lot of money, but he earned it himself. The media has no right to direct him to donate it as they see fit.

I don’t know if Pops and MJ are still close or not. I’m not aware of any existing friendship or animosity towards each other but I would think that the later would be true since they haven’t talked in so long. Just because MJ has the means doesn’t mean he has to help.

I don’t believe Mr. Lake ever called Jordan evil, he simply pointed out the obvious. Jordan has the means to help out someone who clearly impacted his life and has chosen not to. The extent to which Coach Herring helped Jordan only he knows but it is clear everytime Jordan calls him out for cutting him(even though he didn’t) that there was an impact. Evil? Maybe not, but selfish, uncaring, etc…., I think YES!

My son played football at Laney and a few years ago before Senior night at the last home game Jordan was in Landfall for a golf game and was asked to come speak in the locker room before the game to the players.

About This Blog

Howdy. I’m sports editor Dan Spears, and I keep everything straightened up around here — with thoughts on pretty much anything to do with sports, both locally and nationally. I’ve been with the StarNews since August 2006, and sports editor since September 2008. I’m a big college basketball fan and have been to the first weekend of the NCAAs every year since 1997, either as a fan or a writer. I attempt to play golf, run marathons and play volleyball here in town at Capt’n Bill’s on Market Street. Enjoy reading, and let me know what you’re thinking … Dan